Friday, April 10, 2009

It's Good Friday - but there is Light at the end of the tunnel...

Disused Railway tunnel, Bedgellert, Snowdonia, North Wales

Year 2004, Olympus C310, F2.9, 1/30 sec, ISO 320, 35mm equivalent

This week, we have been journeying towards the Cross of Christ. We have looked at Jesus’ last day and hours before he gave His life. Today is Good Friday, a day which for the Christian is full of mixed emotions. On the one hand we weep and despair at what Jesus went through, we see that we too are responsible for betraying him and putting him upon a cross, we see that there is no room for us to wash our hands of the situation like Pilate tried to. Jesus went to the cross because of our sin. On the other hand Good Friday is not all bleak. When we take on board what Jesus did for us, we realise just how much He loves us, the pain that He was willing to endure for our sake, we cannot help but be overcome with joy at the realisation of what the cross actually does. By his death we are forgiven, by his death we are free from the consequences of our sin, of our rebellion against God and by his death we are given eternal life. Yes for those who believe that Jesus is who He said He is, eternal life is a free gift. As Tony Campolo puts it “its Friday now…. But Sunday’s coming.” In other words the events of Good Friday viewed on their own in isolation would be utterly bleak and without hope, but when we remember that Easter Sunday is just round the corner, when Jesus rose from the dead, it’s puts things in a whole new and wonderful perspective.